The present invention relates to diapers, and particularly to disposable diapers for one time use.
Many types of disposable diapers are presently available having a high capacity for absorbing liquids, but the prolonged contact of the infant's skin with the absorbed liquid irritates the infant's skin. Various disposable diaper constructions have been proposed to minimize this skin irritation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,004,895 discloses a disposable diaper including an ammonia immobilizing agent covered by a gas-permeable liquid-impeding barrier such as to permit the ammonia from the urine to pass through the barrier into contact with the ammonia immobilizing agent where it is retained, while preventing the latter agent from directly contacting the infant's skin. Another disclosed technique, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 2,119,610, provides the diaper with an outer protective covering of waterproof material formed with a plurality of perforations to permit the absorbent core to absorb the liquid. A further type, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,998, provides the liquid absorbent core with a layer of pressure-rupturable capsules containing liquid baby oil. A still further type, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,942, provides the diaper with a layer of powder covered by a liquid imprevious sheet formed with a plurality of perforations permitting the powder to flow to the infant's skin. However, insofar as I am aware, none of the above types of disposable diapers has yet found widespread use.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new disposable diaper of the last-mentioned type for absorbing the liquids, while at the same time minimizing prolonged contact of the liquid with the infant's skin and reducing the possibility of irritation of the infant's skin by the liquid.